Spring Gathering at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary

Indiana Audubon Society

Celebrate spring down at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary!

Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary

Indiana Audubon welcomes you to explore the spring beauty of Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary for our annual spring gathering. Join us to celebrate the sanctuary&#x27;s 80th anniversary and and experience the best of spring migration in Indiana. This event promises to be a great opportunity for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers to come together and celebrate the society&#x27;s longstanding commitment to bird and nature conservation and education. As part of the anniversary event, all visitors can enjoy the Indiana Audubon membership perk of rustic camping and fishing is available both Friday and Saturday night free of charge in the campground.The day&#x27;s highlights include: <ul><li>F﻿ree Hot Breakfast in the Markle Barn</li><li>Nearly 20 morning and afternoon trips and hikes exploring birds, nature, wildflowers, photography, owls, and more</li><li>S﻿pecial 125th anniversary celebration with dessert and ice cream!</li><li>F﻿ree bird feeder and house cleaning, drop off by 12pm, pick up by 4pm</li><li>p﻿re-order box lunch options</li><li>Y﻿outh birding activities and crafts</li><li>N﻿ature related silent auction and raffle</li><li>H﻿ike the new MGBS Interpretive Birding Trail</li><li>E﻿vening hikes to explore owls, woodocks, and moths!</li></ul>The entire schedule, including program and hike times will be posted soon. Registration for non IAS member adults is only $5. Registration for Indiana Audubon members and youth under 17 years of age is FREE. A variety of lodging options are also nearby in Connersville and Rushville. <a href="" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Click Here to search for lodging on Hotels.com.</a>Tentative Schedule:6:00 AM-8:30 AM FREE BREAKAST AT MARKLE BARN7:00 AM	Spring Migration Madness Birding Hike8:00 AM	MGBS Nature Exploration Hike8:30 AM	iNaturalist Bioblitz Hike9:00 AM	Nature Photography Hike9:30 AM	Bee Ranching with Bill (make your own beeswax candle)10:00 AM Herps of Mary Gray Hike (snakes, frogs, turtles)11:30AM	BOX LUNCHES FOR PICKUP AT MARKLE BARN12:00 PM IAS 125th Anniversary Celebration in Brooks Hall1:00-3:00 PM Young Birders Activities at the Large ShelterAFTERNOON PROGRAMS 1:00 PM Tracing History through Mary Gray (Includes short drive and tour of property)2:00 PM	Exploring the Songs of ChickadeesCarolina chickadees are well-known bubbly backyard birds. In most of their range they have little diversity in their song, but in Indiana they have a unique song diversity. There have been over 100 song types documented in central Indiana alone, many of which are more complex than the standard chickadee song. How does Indiana&#x27;s habitat structure facilitate this diversity? Join Jonathan B Jenkins, a Purdue Ph.D. candidate, to learn how Indiana has affected chickadee song.3:00 PM	Forestry and Birds by Allen PurellForesters and forest landowners could be an important key to helping many species of disturbance-dependent birds whose populations are declining. Forestry for the Birds is a new conservation initiative that encourages foresters to consider birds when managing land. Hear a forester speak about the potential role of forest management for bird conservation in Indiana and throughout the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region.4:00 PM	Welcome to the Dark Side: Mothing in IndianaOften unseen and under-appreciated, moths are viewed as the drab, dingy-looking cousins of butterflies. However, they are dazzling denizens of the night with nearly 2,300 species recorded in Indiana. Jeanette has photographed moths in the state since 2019 and will introduce us to the joys of mothing, how it compares to birding, the importance of moths to birds and ecosystems, and how to contribute your sightings to the Great American Indiana Nature Lepidoptera Project .4:00 PM	MGBS Nature Exploration Hike4:30 PM	Forests and Fields of Mary Gray Birding5:00 PM	MGBS Herps Field Trip5:30 PM	Afternoon Nature Photography8:30 PM	Twilight Birding Trek (owls, woodcocks, whippoorwills!)8:30 PM	Mothing Adventures with Jeanette JaskulaMark your calendars and stay tuned for the schedule of activities! Special thanks to our sponsors this year, including Gillman Home Center, Cincinnati Reds, and more.V﻿isit the <a href="https://mgbs.givesmart.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">MGBS Spring Silent Auction online</a> or in person at the event. Bidding closes 6pm ET on Saturday!

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Spring Gathering at Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary

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